Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1887-09-10

September 6, 1887.
To the Standard.
| left home on the I'd of Septem-
Der and arrived here the 9Th inst, by
private conveyance. | found the
roads and country through which |
passed very dry and dusty. The
roads are very good most Of the way
from home through Smithville, Dow
elltown, Liberty and Alexandria, in
DeKalb county, New Middleton in
Smith, to the ancient city of Rome,
also in Smith. 1 found that city sit
uated on the south bank of the Cum
berland. The city is ancient enough,
but / did not find that display of
fine arts and scripture spoken of in
history. Thence by way of Riddle
ton, Haynie's store, and Gibbs X
Roads, to the Springs, about ninety
miles by the road / travelled, and
the further I came this way the dryer
/ found everything. Many creeks
along the way r entirely dry, and
of others there are only a few stag
nanJ pools in places, covered with
a green scum. The water is not fit
for stock, but it is the only kind
much of the stock through that Sec
ton can get, and frequently they
must be driven long distances to get
that. / found no water after leaving
the highlands Of DeKalb county that
my horse would drink to do much
good until 1 reached the Cumberland
river, and there did not appear to be
much more water in that than there
is in the Barren Fork at McMinnville.
But what / started out to say to
my farmer friends was that / found
the corn crops very short, not more
than half a crop, and in many places
not over one-third. After leaving
the highlands of DeKalb / found the
corn dry and fodder cured on the stalk.
l saw plenty of corn in DeKalb and
Smith counties, or as rich land as can
be found anywhere, which will not
make over two barrels of nubbins tC
the acre. Early corn is very good on
good land, but the late planting will
make scarcely no corn and the fodder
is dried up on the stalk. There has
been very little fodder saved. A
good deal of the corn has been cut
All of the late corn should have been
cut. If cut when the sap is in the
stalk, and housed or shocked, il
makes very good feed, but if left out
in the field till all the juice of the
stalk escapes and the fodder bleaches.
it is worth but little.
There has been no blowing fol
wheat, as the ground is so dry and
hard it cannot be plowed till rain
comes.
Many of the clover and stubble
fields on the route look as barren as
mid winter. l was told by farmers
along the way that the ground had
not been too wet to pillow since Feb
ruary. Some light rains through the
spring and summer, but not enough
to wet the ground much.
Now the farmers of Warren county
are in far better condition than they
are here, and / advise you to save
all the fodder you a cut all the
stalks and tops you can, and as soor
as cured, take in out of the weather
If you have not shelter, shock anC
put plenty of straw on the top so al
to protect from the weather. TURF
your land and sow all the rye you
can as soon as possible for winter
pasturage. Commence to economics
now don't wait until your corn il
nearly out. Let the stock live OF
the grass as long as green. Sow al
the turnip seed you can Turnips ART
fine food for cattle, sheep and hogs
if boiled and a little meal or bral
mixed with them. If you have no
sufficient shelter for your stock max
it between this and the first of Jan
uary. You still have time to fattel
your hogs early, as they fatten BET
ter and with less corn in open wealth
er. Your interest is my interest
When you do well my bushes
fieurishes, and the way to economis
is to begin in time and do thing
well. So now my dear friends, al
tend to these things strictly, and al
vote for prohibition on the Doth
September, and all will be well.
Very truly, VIM. H. MAGNEss.